


Best Of A Bad Deal

by anxiousasevan28



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:22:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27933034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxiousasevan28/pseuds/anxiousasevan28
Summary: Rachel, Quinn, and Liza have been living in New York together for almost three years when a now eight year old Beth Corcoran is suddenly thrown into their lives. Told mainly from the third-person perspective of Liza Berry, an original character. (Established Faberry)
Relationships: Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

Liza isn’t sure if it was the sound of her textbook falling to the floor or Quinn’s shout in response that woke her. In her still half asleep state, she loosely recalls putting her head down on the library table and telling Quinn that she would only be shutting her eyes for a moment. Looking at the digital clock on the wall, it’s obvious that that moment has turned into an hour. The essay due in two days is still no more than an introduction. 

Liza reaches to pick up her anatomy textbook before turning to Quinn to find her passed out at the table as well. She must have heard the book fall, been startled awake, and then gone back to sleep. “Quinn. Quinn, wake up,” Liza says softly, shaking Quinn’s shoulder. “It’s time to go.”

Quinn sits up groggily. “What happened?” she asks, her voice laced with exhaustion. Liza begins gathering her books and papers and putting them into the vegan leather messenger bag she convinced Rachel to buy her three years ago.

“We both fell asleep. It’s past midnight. I’m surprised Rachel hasn’t tried to call,” Liza explains, tucking her pencil into her bag and standing up. Quinn hastily shoves her things into her backpack. Liza makes a note to help her organize her papers in the near future. “I doubt our train is running. We’ll have to walk. If you want, I can ask Rachel to meet us halfway if she’s still awake.”

“It’s fine,” Quinn says. “We’ll be fine.” 

Quinn and Liza walk in the direction of their apartment in silence. Liza was correct when she said their train wasn’t running. It’s cold and the air is damp. Quinn looks nervous, but Liza isn’t sure why. Aside from the fact that it’s almost one in the morning, there’s nothing out of the ordinary. “What are you thinking?” Liza asks her.

“I’m sure it’s nothing, but I feel like something’s wrong. I don’t know what, but something’s not right,” Quinn says. 

“You’re probably just tired,” Liza says. “We’re here.” Liza follows Quinn up the stairs to their floor and inside their apartment, shutting the door behind them. Rachel is fast asleep on the couch with her phone and a book on her chest. Liza checks her own phone. There’s a text from Rachel that was sent while she and Quinn were walking home explaining that she’s sure Liza is safe because she’s with Quinn and that she’s exhausted and going to bed whether they come home or not.

Liza smiles, bids Quinn good night, reconsiders and bids her good morning instead, then heads to bed. There’s an anatomy quiz before her lunch break tomorrow. Even with her essay far from finished, the least Liza can do is sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

According to the clock on her bedside table, Liza has been asleep for less than two hours when Quinn’s ringtone blares through the apartment. There’s a loud thud and a groan from the other room, leading Liza to believe that Rachel has probably fallen off the couch. Quinn’s phone continues to ring as Liza sits up and rubs her eyes, now wide awake.

Liza stumbles into the living room to find that her belief has been confirmed. Rachel is lying on the floor, nursing the elbow she probably hit when she fell. Quinn’s phone is still ringing when Quinn herself rushes into the room holding it at an arm's length as though it might bite her if she holds it closer. “Answer it or turn it off, but make it stop ringing,” Rachel says. Liza nods in agreement. 

“I don’t know how,” Quinn says, her face becoming even more worried.

“I’m sorry, you don’t know how to answer your phone?” Rachel questions, raising an eyebrow at Quinn’s helpless expression. 

“You press the green button,” Liza supplies.

“I know how to answer it! I don’t know how to talk to the person calling!” Quinn exclaims as the phone goes silent for a moment before starting to ring again. Whoever it is that’s calling must really want to talk.

“Who is it?” Rachel asks tentatively.

“Shelby.” Liza watches as Rachel’s face turns into one of anger, then shock, before becoming completely unreadable. Quinn grimaces.

“Why is Shelby calling you at three in the morning?” Rachel asks.

“If you could ask her to stop calling, that would be great. I have a quiz in eight hours,” Liza explains, standing up to go back to bed.

“I’m one of Beth’s emergency contacts. Oh my God, what if something’s wrong with Beth?” 

“Why are you one of Beth’s emergency contacts?” Rachel begins, but Quinn holds a finger up to her mouth telling Rachel to be quiet. She’s finally answered the phone. Liza’s feet seem to have stuck to the spot she’s standing in. She really wants to go back to sleep, but she’s unable to move her legs.

Quinn looks somewhere in between angry and hurt. “Of course. I’ll be right there,” she says, hanging up the phone. She turns to Rachel and Liza, picking up her purse from the kitchen table and running a hand through her hair. “I have to go.”

“And where exactly would you be going at this time?” Rachel questions, sounding more annoyed now than ever. Liza doesn’t blame her. Not only was Rachel woken up by this, but she had the privilege of falling onto the floor too.

“Beth is in the hospital. She and Shelby were in an accident. That was the New York Presbyterian on the phone,” Quinn explains, pulling on her coat. 

“Was it the same nurse that cast my wrist when I broke it?” Liza asks excitedly. “Or was it the one that set my ankle when it was broken? Oh, was it the doctor I did my internship with last year?” 

Quinn doesn’t respond, but checks her bag to make sure she hasn’t forgotten anything. “Liza and I’ll go with you,” Rachel says suddenly. “Give us a minute and we’ll head out.”

“Awesome! Do you think we’ll get to see blood?” Liza asks.

Quinn’s face goes from bright to green to extremely pale in a matter of seconds. “Liza, please turn your biology fascinations off for an hour or two. God, I hope there’s no blood.”


	3. Chapter 3

Much to Liza’s dismay and Quinn’s relief, there is no blood. Liza also doesn’t recognize any of the doctors and nurses working the night shift, which is slightly unfortunate, but it doesn’t really matter. When she, Quinn, and Rachel arrived at the front desk, Quinn practically demanded to see Beth. The three of them were led to her room by a somber looking nurse who refused to converse with Liza about what disinfectant the hospital regularly uses.

Liza has never seen Beth before. She’s heard enough about her to gather that she’s Quinn’s biological daughter and was the result of a drunken one night stand with the best friend of a boy who is the ex boyfriend of both Rachel and Quinn. She’s also managed to learn that when Quinn decided to give her up, Rachel and Liza’s biological mother, whom she’s also never seen, was the one who adopted Beth. The nurse announces their arrival at room 372 before Liza can give this puzzle of her family tree any more thought.

Beth is almost as pale and blonde as Quinn, which is definitely saying something because when Liza was first introduced to Quinn, the thought that she could be a vampire was in her mind for a while. There’s a fresh bruise on Beth’s left cheek and she looks slightly shaken up, but aside from that, she looks relatively normal and uninjured.

“Nothing’s wrong with her,” Liza says matter of factly, racking her brain for any diagnoses she can think of that might not present themselves visually. Quinn glares at her. “Okay, she’s visibly fine.”

“Hi,” Quinn says softly, taking a seat in the chair next to Beth’s hospital bed. “How are you feeling?” 

Liza moves closer to Rachel in an attempt to normalize the situation for herself. Rachel is currently the most comfortable thing in the room. Rachel puts a hand on Liza’s shoulder, as though she can sense the girl’s sudden nerves. 

“I’m okay,” Beth whispers. Quinn reaches out her hand, and Beth takes it. Liza can’t tell if this is a sign of love and affection or an instinct of Beth’s to latch on to something comforting. Trying to figure out the minds of others has never been Liza’s strong point.

“That’s good,” Quinn says. “Is there anything I can do to make you feel even better?”

“They said Mommy didn’t wake up. They said she’s still asleep,” Beth says. 

Quinn looks pained at the sound of her daughter calling someone else her mommy. “You’re mommy will be okay. I promise.” Quinn turns to Liza and Rachel and looks at them expectantly. 

“What?” Liza questions. “You look like you want us to do something for you.”

“Do you think you could go to the nurse’s station and try and get more information? I’m going to stay with Beth,” Quinn says.

Liza’s face forms a look of amused exasperation as Rachel nods dumbly and follows her out of the room. “How would we have ever known that based on her expression alone?” Rachel asks, as shocked as Liza. 

It takes three nurses to finally communicate what’s wrong with Shelby. According to the story Beth told them earlier when she was admitted, Beth couldn’t sleep. Shelby, hoping that it might calm her down took Beth out for a drive. Between the darkness and the light rain, visibility was poor. The truck hit them at such an angle that it wasn’t as bad as a head on collision. This is apparently why Beth is okay. Shelby however, hit her head on impact and is now in a coma. 

Liza will readily admit that her knowledge of physics is as limited as her knowledge of psychology, but from the little she knows of the science, the story she and Rachel have just been told doesn’t sound very possible or probable. Liza shrugs and let’s Rachel ask questions. 

When Liza and Rachel get back to Beth’s room, Beth is transfixed by a story Quinn is telling her. Quinn pauses when she sees that the Berry girls have returned. Rachel motions for Quinn to step outside with them, so Quinn stands and tells Beth she’ll be right back. “What did you find out?” Quinn asks.

“Their story made no sense…” Liza says, but she’s cut off by Rachel.

“Shelby is in a coma.”

“Again, the amount of sense that this makes…”

“They aren’t sure when she’ll wake up.”

“It’s all nonsense…”

“They said that Beth is technically ready to be discharged, but only a family member can take her.”

“Can we take her?” Quinn asks hopefully, looking down at the white linoleum floor. Liza stares at her with an open mouth. She looks from Quinn to Rachel then back to Quinn.

“Now you aren’t making sense either!” Liza exclaims, causing several nurses to stare at her from down the hall. There’s no way this is actually happening. 

“I think that’s a fair idea. If we get permission, how soon can we take her?” Liza looks at her sister in disbelief.

“I’ll find out,” Quinn says. “You know, Liza, for a premed student, your bedside manner is awful.” Quinn shakes her head as she walks in the direction of the nurses station. 

“Oh, great! It must be that day where people disrupt Liza’s sleep hours before an exam, drag her to a hospital to visit the biological daughter of her sister’s girlfriend who is also the adopted daughter of her biological mother which makes her her adopted sister and potential niece by marriage, only to decide that the child needs to come home with us! But let’s all insult Liza’s medical practices,” Liza rants.

“I’ll make it up to you, I swear. You’re bedside manner is pretty bad, though,” Rachel says.


	4. Chapter 4

Rachel pulls Liza into the hallway of their apartment while Quinn sets Beth up on the couch. It was six in the morning by the time they left the hospital, while Beth chattered about how she lives in a house just outside the city and she’s always wanted to live in a real skyscraper. Liza had to bite back a laugh when Beth asked if they live in the penthouse. Rachel is an actress and she and Quinn are both in school. They can barely afford the place they have.

“She’ll be staying in your room,” Rachel says. Liza throws her hands up in the air. Despite thinking that things couldn’t possibly get worse, they have. 

“Rachel, she’s eight. What am I supposed to do when I want to use my room to study or practice my oboe? Where is she going to sleep? I refuse to give up my bed under any circumstances.”

“I was thinking she could use the air mattress we have in the closet, so no, you don’t have to give up your bed. You might have to use the library and the orchestra room at Columbia for a while, though,” Rachel explains. 

“No,” Liza says firmly. Beth may be staying with them, but she’s not getting Liza’s room.

“It’s temporary, Liza, I promise. Besides, you love Quinn, right?”

“If I say no, will it prevent this from happening?” Liza asks. 

Rachel sighs. “Just clear a spot on the floor.” 

By the time her lunch break starts, Liza is thoroughly exhausted. Beth practically demanded to go to school despite having just been released from the hospital, so Rachel took her on the train because Quinn had class. Instead of walking Liza to the biology building as she usually did, Quinn raced to the library to check out what she called a ‘helpful parenting book’ before her debate class started. Liza is pretty sure she failed her quiz too, but it’s not something she wants to think about right now. 

Her phone rings just as she’s about to take a bite of her sunflower seed butter and jelly sandwich. It’s Rachel calling. “Hello,” Liza answers. “Shouldn’t you be working?”

“Yes, I should be, but this is important. Are you free between two and three?” Rachel asks.

“I have a two hour break before orchestra at four, yes.”

“Great! Can you pick Beth up from school?” 

If this were an in person conversation, Liza would laugh and shake her head in disbelief. It’s not an in person conversation however, so Liza feels that she can be a little more blunt. “Absolutely not,” she says. “You can let her live in our home, you can give her my room, heck, you and Quinn can even turn all your attention away from me and onto her, but I am not giving up my break to pick up a kid that I don’t even know from school.”

“I’m not giving her all my attention and what does Quinn have to do with this? You don’t have to, but it would be really helpful. I’ll even take you to Coney Island this weekend,” Rachel says. Liza thinks about this. Rachel is definitely trying to bribe her and it just might be working.

“Fine, but I want you to help me with my anatomy quiz corrections, should it be something I’m allowed to do,” Liza says.

“Deal,” Rachel says, before Liza hangs up. She hasn’t been off the phone for a minute when it rings again. It’s Quinn this time.

“Guess what,” Liza says before Quinn can speak 

“What?”

“I’m picking up your child from school today.” Liza lets out a laugh before hanging up again. She knows it’s slightly mean, but she’s really in no mood to talk to Quinn. 

***

Liza is remarkably fond of the subway. When Rachel first moved to New York and Columbia wasn’t even an idea in Liza’s head, she’d visit Rachel on weekends. Sometimes, they’d spend hours riding the trains and talking. Right now, the train is anything but calming. Liza really wants to call Beth or Rachel or even Quinn at this point to plan a way to make this as painless as possible. Unfortunately, Rachel is at work, Quinn is in class, and Liza doesn’t know if Beth has a cell phone at all. 

Liza has been on the train for forty seven minutes when she finally gets off at her stop. By the time she actually gets Beth, drops her off at Rachel’s workplace and takes the train back to Columbia, she’ll be late for orchestra. Liza wonders if they picked the school furthest from the university simply to bother her.

She’s heard of the school Beth is attending. When Rachel found out she’d be going to Juilliard, she’d actually begged their dads to let Liza move in with her then. She’d made a powerpoint and a trifold board and even printed her own booklet about how much better off Liza would be at a private school in New York than in the Lima public school system. Liza recalls this being the place Rachel was trying to send her.

Between Rachel’s hefty Juilliard tuition and the fact that Liza was only ten at time, their dads had felt generally uncomfortable sending her to New York, despite the fact that it was clear she was too smart for Lima, Ohio. When Liza turned thirteen, graduated high school, and began filling out college applications as a form of protest to her dads trying to send her to Lima Community College, they finally let her go. 

Liza shakes her head and clears her mind before she steps into the lobby of The Berkeley Carroll School. The same gangly blonde that Liza saw lying in the hospital last night is sitting in a chair in the corner drinking a juice box and swinging her legs. “Liza!” the girl shouts, running to her and giving her a hug. Liza isn’t sure what to do. She doesn’t actually know how Beth knows her name. She doesn’t recall telling her last night, but Quinn or Rachel must have informed her.

“Q told me you were picking me up today,” Beth says, taking a sip of her juice. Liza signs her out and walks with her to the train station in silence. Halfway through their ride to the Music Box Theatre, Beth taps Liza on the arm. “You don’t talk much,” Beth says.

“No, I guess not,” Liza replies. 

“Are you really my sister?” 

“Technically.”

“What does technically mean?”

“It means I am, but I’m not at the same time.”

“Oh.”

Beth is silent for the remainder of the ride. Liza is relieved when they arrive at the theatre and find Rachel’s dressing room. She still has a half hour train ride to Columbia and orchestra rehearsal starts in fifteen minutes. If she hurries, she’ll get there before the ensemble finishes their tuning session. Rachel answers the door on the second knock. “Hi!” she says in a voice that’s so cheery it almost makes Liza sick. “If you’re hungry, Beth, there’s rice pudding and apple juice in the fridge. Liza, how are you?”

Liza watches as Beth opens the fridge and pulls out a pudding cup. “Quinn couldn’t do this?” Liza asks.

“Quinn had a test today.” Liza takes a moment to appreciate how Rachel has said this as if she didn’t have a test today.

“She interfered with my quiz! I failed it! It doesn’t matter right now. I have to go. I’m late for rehearsal.” Liza opens the door.

“Say goodbye to Beth,” Rachel suggests.

“I’ll be seeing her at dinner!” Liza defends. Rachel raises her eyebrow. “Fine. Bye, Beth.”

“Bye!” Beth chirps. Liza has never been more relieved to leave a room.


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner is far from spectacular. Liza stayed after her orchestra rehearsal to explain why she had both shown up late and slammed the door to the woodwind closet, interrupting the third movement of Dvorak’s Symphony of the New World. When she got home, Rachel was already working on dinner. Quinn buzzes around the kitchen insisting that Beth won’t like whatever vegan entree Rachel is attempting to make while digging through the freezer for something that she thinks Beth will like. 

By the time the four sit down to eat with pasta primavera in front of Rachel, Liza, and Quinn and dinosaur chicken nuggets in front of Beth, Liza is so tired of hearing Quinn’s voice that she seriously considers eating in her room. When Rachel asks her how her orchestra rehearsal was, Liza doesn’t hear her the first time.

“Sorry, what did you say?” Liza asks. 

“How was your rehearsal?” Rachel repeats.

“It was fine. I was late and the door to the woodwind closet is now slightly broken, but it was fine.”

“Why were you late?” Quinn asks. Liza looks at her with wonder.

“Definitely not because I had to take public transportation from Harlem to Brooklyn to Broadway and back during my break,” Liza quips sarcastically. Quinn is taken aback. The last time Liza was actually rude to her was the summer she came to visit three years ago when she broke her wrist.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve picked her up myself.” Quinn sounds genuinely hurt. Liza’s eyes widen at the sadness in Quinn’s voice. If there’s anything Liza has learned in the time she’s known Quinn, it’s that she doesn’t feel strongly very often but when she does, it’s real. If Quinn is upset right now, there’s no way she’s faking it.

“I didn’t mean that, I swear. I’m just really tired. I’m sorry, Quinn.”

“It’s fine.” Quinn reaches across the table and grabs Liza’s hand. Rachel and Beth are watching them with confusion and amusement. Liza knows it’s probably a strange sight. The normally emotionless Quinn and the genius yet sarcastic Liza are calling a truce at the dinner table. 

Liza drops Quinn’s hand as quickly as Quinn took hold of hers. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she says to Rachel. “This is perfectly normal. Quinn makes my eyes water all the time. I’m probably allergic to her.” Rachel gapes as Quinn blushes. 

“This is really weird,” Beth says from her spot at the table, taking a bite of one of her chicken nuggets. Nobody could have said it better.

***

Liza used to be afraid of the fire escape. Sixteen floors up, she was terrified that one day she might fall straight onto the streets of Manhattan. Then Rachel was cast in her first Broadway show and the fire escape became the only place you could go to not hear Rachel singing the entire soundtrack at the top of her lungs. It’s become a bit of a sanctuary since. Liza likes to sit on it at night and watch the traffic below.

Rachel has joined her tonight while Quinn plays Candyland with Beth. Liza was surprised the board game was still around, considering she abandoned it for chess and the occasional game of bridge years ago. “Do you ever make up stories about the people who walk past?” Rachel asks, breaking the silence. 

“All the time,” Liza replies, pointing to a man walking up the street. “That guy there, he’s a bartender, but he really wants to be a musician. He’s walking to his shift now. He keeps a guitar behind the bar so he doesn’t have to carry it everywhere he goes.”

“Have you been listening to Billy Joel again?” Rachel laughs. Liza smiles sheepishly.

“Probably, but we’re in New York. Sometimes it makes sense that everyone here is dreaming of becoming something bigger.”

“I wanted to talk to you about Beth,” Rachel says quickly, as though she’s worried she may be shot down. Liza nods, telling her that it’s okay to continue. “I called the hospital earlier. Shelby isn’t doing well.”

Liza shrugs and Rachel looks at her questioningly. “She was never here when we weren’t doing well.” 

“I know, Liza. They’re sure she isn’t going to die or anything, but they’re worried there may be permanent damage. That being said, I’m not sure how long Beth is going to be here. It could be days, it could be months.” Rachel looks inside through the closed window at Quinn and Beth rolling around on the floor laughing together, Candyland long forgotten. “From the looks of it, Quinn would hold onto her forever if she could. I think she likes having a missing piece of herself back.”

“What are you implying?”

“I’m not saying you have to be best friends with her, but I’d like you to at least be civil. She’s technically your family whether you want her to be or not.”

“You know, funnily enough, that’s what I told her on the way to the Music Box. She asked if I was her sister and I told her that technically she was,” Liza recounts.

“That’s a start,” Rachel says, putting her arm around Liza’s shoulders. “Did you say anything else.”

“No.” Rachel laughs again before letting Liza continue. “You know, in medicine, if you’re having trouble, you talk to a professional. I think I know someone who might be a professional at things like this.”

Later that night, while Quinn is helping Beth get ready for bed and Rachel is studying her lines, Liza checks the time. It’s eight thirty in New York which means it’s only five thirty in Los Angeles. Knowing that it’s not too late, Liza makes a phone call. “Hello?” It’s answered on the third ring.

“Listen, Brittany,” Liza begins. “If now isn’t a bad time, I need advice. What would you do if you had to interact with an eight year old?”


	6. Chapter 6

“Do you remember what you were like when you were eight?” Brittany asks. It may only be a Skype call, but talking to Brittany and Santana in any way is usually extremely refreshing. As much, as she loves Quinn and Rachel, it sometimes feels like they’re the only people Liza ever talks to.

“That’s…” Liza trails of, catching herself before she accidentally calls Brittany dumb. Even if it’s being used to describe something she’s said and not her directly, Liza likes to avoid using the word around Brittany at all costs. “That’s not the best question. I remember everything.” Liza’s eidetic memory is both a blessing and a curse.

“Great! Then you’ll remember how Rachel used to sneak you into Glee Club meetings. You practically worshipped Santana. You’d follow her to our Cheerios practices and the only thing that ever got you to leave was Coach telling you that there would be fire.” Liza was as scared of Coach Sylvester as she was of fire at the time. Coach Sylvester and fire were definitely not something Liza wanted to experience. 

“I wanted to be Santana when I was eight. I thought it was so cool having someone to look up to that actually let me look up to them. Rachel is great, really, but until a couple years ago, we were on very different paths. I think a lot of the reason I have the sense of humor I have today is because of Santana,” Liza explains.

“Are you two talking about me?” Santana shouts from off the screen.

Liza laughs. “Tell her it’s only good things.”

“It’s only good things!” Brittany repeats. “Okay, where were we? How did you feel when Santana told you to stop following her around our senior year?”

“Crushed, honestly. I’ve never liked kids my own age much, so getting to spend time at the high school was amazing. I liked San a lot. I guess, at the time, I really wanted to be her friend. She sounded so annoyed when she said it, that it made me wonder if she’d ever liked me at all,” Liza says.

“That there is the point I’m trying to make,” Brittany continues. “Beth is probably really lonely right now. Even though Quinn gave birth to her, she’s only ever been around Shelby. She’s probably looking for a friend and a role model. I think you could potentially be both. You could be one more than the other, but I think you should at least try to be both.” 

Brittany has officially shocked Liza again. She may not be book smart, but Brittany can read people better than anyone Liza knows. If Brittany could stand college, the Columbia Department of Psychology would have been thrilled to have her enrolled. Liza knows she’s doing just fine with her dance studio in Los Angeles, though. 

“Britt, has anyone ever told you that you’re kind of a genius?”

“Thank you! That’s one of the best things anyone has ever said to me. Also, you said you wanted to be Santana. You’re too nice to be Santana.”

“I heard that!” Santana shouts. “Tell Liza she needs to hang up so I can make out with you!”

Liza blushes bright red. “You need to hang up so Santana can make out with me,” Brittany informs her. Liza has a feeling that whatever Brittany is going to say next is probably of a sexual nature, so she bids her farewell and closes her laptop as fast as she possibly can.

***

“I was wondering if Beth might like to accompany Rachel and I to Coney Island,” Liza says slowly. She’s not sure if this is exactly what Brittany meant, but it feels right. 

Quinn looks nervous. “I have something for school and it might overwhelm her and you… really, Liza? Weren’t you completely opposed to her last week?”

“I’ve had a change of heart.”

“You talked to Britt, didn’t you? She gave you her wisdom on the matter. God, that girl has always been smart in an odd, unconventional way.”

“Maybe you should ask Beth what she thinks,” Liza recommends. I’ve already checked with Rachel and she thinks it’s a marvelous idea.”

Quinn calls Beth into the room. “Beth, dear, I have something for school today that will probably be boring, but if you’d like, you can go with Liza and Rachel to Coney Island.” Beth’s face lights up. She grins, hugs Quinn, and then hugs Liza. It’s just as awkward as it was when Beth hugged her in the school lobby. “I think that’s a yes,” Quinn tells Liza.

Beth has never been to Coney Island. Liza shook her head in disbelief when the girl said this. You can’t be a New Yorker and never have gone to Coney Island. It’s simply not allowed. Rachel tries to explain to Beth everything that you can do on the N train there, but it’s obvious she’s having trouble fitting it all into words. “It’s worth it,” Liza adds, but even that doesn’t quite sum it up.

It’s Saturday, so naturally, there are hundreds of people. Liza’s pretty sure they should have made Beth wear neon orange or yellow or something, but the pink shirt she’s currently wearing is probably visible enough. The Ferris wheel catches Beth’s attention first which means that the three of them have to walk all the way from their train stop to the corner of West 12th and Wonder Wheel Way. Usually, Liza and Rachel follow the numbers on the bottom of the map starting at one and ending at whichever number they can get to before it gets dark. Clearly things are being changed slightly.

Liza sets some ground rules before they actually get on the ride. Beth listens attentively while Rachel shakes her head. If anyone so much as mentions feeling like they might be sick on a ride, Liza is done for the day. Despite being a premed student, she hates it when people are sick to their stomach. If all three of them are ever on a ride, Rachel has to sit in the middle. Her list goes on and on, but it’s obvious that Rachel stopped listening about seven rules ago. “You sound like your six,” Rachel says. Liza scowls when Beth laughs at this.

After the Ferris wheel, Beth wants to go on the carousel and after that she wants to ride the hang gliders. It’s never really been the rides that Liza particularly likes. It’s the aquarium that she always looks forward to. She likes to think that if marine biology had been as challenging a subject as premed, she might have chosen to attend UCSD’s marine science program. 

Rachel makes the decision that, given Liza’s rules, it may not be the brightest idea to put Beth on more rides after she’s managed to eat an entire funnel cake. Liza wonders if Shelby ever let Beth do anything remotely exciting or entertaining and even considers asking Rachel, but she figures it might not be the best topic to bring up. 

The penguins have always been Liza’s favorite. They always seem so happy. If Liza ever gets the opportunity to choose an animal to be reincarnated as, it’ll definitely be a species of penguin.

Beth likes the turtles best. “Do they really lay their eggs in the sand?” Beth asks, looking up at Liza, her eyes filled with excitement. 

“Absolutely,” Liza says. “When they hatch, they have to move really fast so that gulls don’t catch them.”

“Like a race?” Beth questions.

“Sort of.” Liza smiles. She can’t remember a time when she looked at life through such a clear, unobstructed lense as Beth, because she really never has. From the moment she could speak, everything Liza did was about getting herself out of Lima.

“You know,” Liza says, crouching down to talk to Beth as though trying to keep a secret from Rachel, despite the fact that Rachel can hear her perfectly well. “The sea lions have always reminded me of Rachel.”

“And why is that?” Rachel asks.

“Well, they’re loud, and can sometimes be really, really annoying.” Rachel glares at her.

By four thirty, the sun is starting to set. It’s November, so this isn’t unusual. Liza looks at Rachel, trying to convey a message without actually speaking. Liza and Rachel always ride the Cyclone just before sunset. It's a Berry tradition. There’s no way they aren’t doing it today.

Rachel seems to catch on. “You want to go on the Cyclone, don’t you? Is that a good idea? It might be a little frightening for Beth.”

“Is it alright if we ride the Cyclone?” Beth nods tentatively. “See? It’s fine.”

Liza has a bad feeling as they make their way to West 10th and Surf Avenue. They’re already buckled in with Rachel in the middle before Liza can say that this is a terrible idea and probably shouldn’t be happening. Liza decides to keep her mouth shut, and even though she isn’t religious, she says a silent prayer.

Halfway through the track, Liza makes the mistake of making eye contact with Beth just before her body lurches, and the poor funnel cake she devoured earlier ends up in Rachel’s lap. Liza closes her eyes and tries to picture Quinn. As irrational as it is, Quinn is definitely being blamed for this mess. After all, Liza once read that motion sickness can be hereditary. Of course, this is Rachel. There’s always the possibility that Liza won’t be alive long enough to see Quinn again at all.


	7. Chapter 7

“She what?” Quinn asks.

Liza would really prefer to not repeat it. It’s a wonder she made it home alive. Halfway back, tired of being sent the evil eye by Rachel, Liza actually switched trains. Rachel has been in the shower for nearly an hour and a half. “She vomited. On Rachel. But don’t worry, we refed her afterwards. You know it really wasn’t funny. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t laugh at our misfortune.” This only makes Quinn laugh harder. 

“I bet you just love her now.”

“Oh, yeah. I feel really close to her. I watched her get sick on a roller coaster. It’s the ultimate bonding experience,” Liza says, rolling her eyes. Quinn continues to laugh.

Rachel spends another half hour in the shower before coming into the living room to sit with Liza and Quinn. She gives Quinn a quick kiss before sitting down and stretching her legs out onto Quinn’s lap. “There’s an ottoman right there,” Quinn says. 

“Don’t even speak to me right now, Quinn. I love you, but I just used all the hot water scrubbing your daughter’s lunch off my body. Besides, you’re much better than the ottoman.” 

Liza smiles. She’s always liked watching Quinn and Rachel interact. It took her awhile to warm up to the idea of Quinn dating Rachel. Liza remembers all the days Rachel came home from school crying about how badly Quinn would treat her. She remembers the day she sat at the foot of Rachel’s bed and listened as her sister told her that the reason it made her so upset was because she loved Quinn. She didn’t love her, she’d said, she was in love with her.

Liza also remembers the day of Rachel and Quinn’s high school graduation when Rachel introduced Quinn to their dads. She’d explained that Quinn was taking pre-law courses at Columbia and she wanted to live with her in New York and she really, really loved her. She’d kissed Quinn right there in front of Liza, Dad, and Daddy.

Liza wonders if Rachel’s high school relationships were the healthiest thing to expose Liza and her immature ten year old mind to at the time. She’s thinking about all the strange things her mind has been exposed to thus far in her life while watching Quinn play with a strand of Rachel’s hair when Beth appears in the hall clad in teal cat pajamas and matching slippers. Liza would be disgusted by the outfit if it weren’t so undeniably adorable. Liza doesn’t usually appreciate cute things.

“I had a bad dream,” Beth whispers. Quinn immediately ushers her over and wraps her in a hug. Rachel has removed her legs from Quinn’s lap and is watching her and Beth with a worried expression. Quinn looks like she doesn’t know what to say, so Liza decides to offer her input.

“I used to have nightmares, you know,” Liza provides. Beth pulls out of Quinn’s arms and turns to face her. Both Rachel and Quinn are listening closely. This will either go very well or very poorly. “Sometimes talking would help. It would take my mind off them and help me go back to sleep.” Liza decides to leave out the part about only talking to herself or Rachel because other kids didn’t have her vocabulary. It’s really not important right now. 

“You can tell us anything, darling,” Quinn adds.

“Are you and Rachel in love?” Beth blurts. Liza is slightly surprised by the bluntness of this question and she can tell that Quinn and Rachel are too. Even now, the three of them tend not to discuss Quinn and Rachel’s relationship. After spending most of high school as enemies, when they finally started dating, things escalated quickly. Now that Liza thinks about it, Quinn and Rachel are the oldest acting young couple she knows. Even the rest of the students in the Columbia premed program that are dating don’t act the way Quinn and Rachel do around each other.

“Rach and I are together, yes,” Quinn begins. “And I love her very, very much.” Quinn takes Rachel’s hand and squeezes it softly.

“So I have her instead of a daddy?” Beth clarifies. 

Quinn smiles wider than Liza has ever seen her smile. “Absolutely,” she says. “Let’s get you back to bed now.”

After Quinn leaves the room with Beth in her arms, Rachel looks at Liza and Liza looks at Rachel, wondering what just happened. “I’m sorry, what was that?” Liza asks finally.

“Well,” Rachel starts. “Quinn is probably ecstatic, because Beth just compared me to a father figure. Although, I’ve always thought that I’m far too feminine to take on a masculine role. In fact, when Quinn and I are in bed together…”

Liza has to stop Rachel here. “Rachel, just tell me what happened.”

“I think Quinn thinks that Beth implied that she’s her mother.”


	8. Chapter 8

Despite the fact that Beth stopped cleaning up her side of the room on her ninth day staying in Liza’s room, Liza is glad that the girl is acclimating well. Liza was once told by Rachel that exhibiting traits of unorganization is a sign of feeling comfortable in your space. This could have been Rachel making an excuse to not clean their apartment, but Liza chooses to believe it anyway.

“Beth is out of clothing,” Quinn announces when she comes out for breakfast that morning before heading to the university with Liza. 

“Have her do a load of laundry,” Liza suggests. Rachel looks at her as though she’s just said that an eight year old might be capable of figuring how to work their overly complicated washer and dryer. 

“I said that. She looked like she was going to cry and I really didn’t want that, so I told her we could go to her house and pick up more clothes,” Quinn explains, tapping her fork anxiously on the table before taking a bite of the toaster waffle she’s made herself.

“I’ve actually been wondering,” Liza says, looking at Rachel expectantly. “How is dear old Shelby doing?” Liza doesn’t like how angry she sounded. Even though Shelby hasn’t ever been a part of her life, she’s still her mother and that has to mean something. 

“I called the hospital yesterday. It turns out that Shelby is suffering from some sort of amnesia. I don’t recall much of what they said about it. Medicine is your specialty, not mine. If they had told me that she’s having trouble going off book, it might have made more sense,” Rachel says.

“It made enough sense for you to make that analogy,” Quinn quips. Liza gives her a congratulatory high five for saying this.

“Thank you, Quinn. Anyway, they're sending her to a care home. Don’t worry, though. I have a key.” Rachel observes the confused looks on Quinn and Liza’s faces. “A key to her house.” 

“Why do you have a key?” Liza asks as Quinn steers her out the door. If they don’t hurry, they’ll both be late for their first class of the day. 

“I once sent a Glee Club hopeful to a crackhouse instead of an audition! Don’t question my actions!” Rachel shouts down the hall as Quinn and Liza approach the elevator. This is something Liza has never heard before. She hopes that none of their neighbors are waking up to Rachel yelling about crackhouses. Quinn notes Liza’s perplexed expression.

“That’s actually a true story.”

***

In the two and a half semesters that Liza has been taking biological science courses with Professor Lincoln, she’s never once experienced a dull moment in his class. Today seems to be no exception. The lecture was on eukaryotic genes and genomes, one of Liza’s favorite topics. Liza is slightly concerned when Lincoln requests she stay after class to discuss something important.

“Sir, if this concerns my response to your question on patterns of gene expression, I’m aware that I delivered a completely incorrect answer,” Liza says, hoping that this doesn’t concern her incorrect answer. She’s never been wrong in class. She has enough trouble dealing with being told she’s incorrect by Rachel let alone a professor.

“No, this doesn’t concern your response, though I appreciate your humble attitude. I actually have someone I’d like you to meet.” It’s now that Liza notices the boy that has joined them in the lecture hall. He looks extremely nervous as he fidgets with the hem of his shirt. He’s relatively young and definitely isn’t one of the usual university students Liza is typically surrounded by. “This is Charleston Rogers. He’ll be joining us next semester.”

“Like the dance?” Liza blurts.

“I’ve always thought I was unfortunately named. I am indeed named after the dance. Most people call me Charlie instead. You aren’t named after anything weird, are you?” Charlie asks.

“I’m named after Liza Minnelli. My parents are into Broadway and my sister ended up with Barbra as her middle name, so they felt it was fitting,” Liza explains, realizing that as they’ve been talking, Lincoln has walked them to the door.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Lincoln says. “Why don’t the two of you take a walk?”

Charlie and Liza decide to head to the campus bookstore. On the walk over, Liza has learned that Charlie is from Los Angeles, turned sixteen in October, lives with his aunt and uncle in Queens, and will be majoring in biochemical engineering. “What do you usually do in your free time?” Liza asks when they’ve picked out a table and sat down.

“I’m a performer, actually. I sing and dance and what not. I’m actually hoping to play Mr. Mistofellees in the Broadway revival of Cats,” Charlie explains. “I’ve been training in ballet for years. The studio I left in Los Angeles changed hands five years ago. It’s Pierce and Andrews Dance Company now.”

Liza shakes her head. This is probably an odd coincidence, but it’s worth a shot. “You don’t mean Brittany Pierce, do you?”

“Yes!” Charlie exclaims. “Do you know her?”

“Absolutely! She went to high school with my sister and her girlfriend. It’s a small world, isn’t it?” Liza and Charlie exchange phone numbers with the promise to talk more about their seemingly joint pasts before the next semester begins. Liza is grinning when Quinn meets her outside the library to catch the train home. 

“What are you so happy about?” Quinn asks.

“I think I found a friend.”

***

It takes Liza’s mind an entire hour to stop questioning why Rachel has a key to their estranged mother’s house. Quinn’s far from bright idea to take a taxi and fit her, Rachel, Liza, and Beth into the back definitely took her mind off of it. It’s back on her mind as the four of them step across the threshold and inside the building. 

Beth rushes to what is probably her bedroom and Quinn follows her, leaving Liza and Rachel alone in the living room. It’s strange seeing all the photographs of Shelby and Beth that could have been Shelby, Rachel, and Liza instead. It’s obviously getting to Rachel too. Rachel is standing in front of a framed image on the wall of Shelby and Beth at a piano, looking incredibly happy. Liza hugs Rachel tight as a few stray tears make their way down her older sister’s face.

“Do you remember when I dated Jesse?” Liza nods. People really need to stop asking her if she remembers things. She pushes the idea of self promoting her eidetic memory into the back of her mind for later. 

“He introduced me to Shelby and for the first time ever, I thought I might actually have a mom. I was so glad to just be in her presence and I fantasized about how things would go if she were in our lives so often that I forgot to focus on reality. I’m trying so hard not to hold it against Beth, but after Shelby adopted her, she sort of abandoned the two of us again. I know it’s really immature, but I love Quinn so, so much and I don’t want to lose her to the same person I lost my own mother too.” 

This is the first thing Rachel has said in a long time that Liza can truly relate to. Liza tried her best to stay out of the unhealthy relationship that was made up of Jesse St. James and Rachel Berry, but from what she knows of it, there was a tape and some singing and then Shelby disappeared, only to reappear the next school year to haunt Quinn with the memory of her daughter and Rachel with the presence of her mother.

By the time Quinn and Beth come into the room with a backpack and a suitcase full of clothes and other items, Rachel is sobbing. Beth and Liza watch awkwardly as Quinn attempts to calm her down. Eventually, Rachel is consoled by the suggestion that the next time she and Liza have a day off from classes, they can see a matinee show on Broadway while Beth is at school. 

Rachel seems much more cheerful as Quinn tries to make sure Beth hasn’t forgotten anything, Liza doesn’t fail to notice that she’s pocketed the wallet sized headshot of Shelby that’s sitting on the coffee table. It’s something that Liza will have to bring up when they get home. That and reminding everyone that she remembers everything.


End file.
